


Love Comes Tumbling

by popculturehoe



Category: U2
Genre: F/M, Gen, Love Triangles, Secret Crush, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-12 08:54:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7095190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/popculturehoe/pseuds/popculturehoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1983. U2 is finally climbing out of the troves of obscurity after the release of their third album, War. A girl enters of the lives of Bono, The Edge, Adam, and Larry, and her world, as well as theirs, turns upside down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story I've written in a long time that's worth publishing, so please be kind! Sorry if I missed any errors! Hope you enjoy!

February 1983

Rain. It had done nothing but rain for the last two weeks. Finally, that morning, the sun had broken. She sighed, wishing she was doing anything but working at that moment. She wished she could be outside, enjoying the first day of nice weather she had seen since arriving in the city, and maybe do a bit of exploring. But she needed the money. University courses weren’t going to pay for themselves, and her parents had already paid for her plane ticket and three months worth of rent in her tiny apartment. Checking her watch, she realized it was almost two o’clock, which meant Bradley, the nephew of the man who owned the shop, would be coming soon to take over for her. Then she had to head across the city, to City College, to hand in some paperwork and speak with the head of her department. The bell above the door rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. A group of boys clambered through the door, still in their school uniforms. A couple of them ran straight for the new releases and tore through them. Eloise smiled; she had been there once, saving up all her money from doing chores and waiting all week until she was finally able to go to the record store and get that one album she had been dying to get, usually something from The Rolling Stones, The Clash, or Bruce Springsteen. To be that age again, not a care or responsibility in the world… 

“Miss?” one of them asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice. She didn’t even realize were there; she had gotten lost in your thoughts. That happened quite frequently. 

“Sorry!” she told him. “Did you find everything you were looking for?” 

“You don’t have the new Thin Lizzy album,” he said. 

“We still have to restock for this month, I’m pretty sure we just got it in,” she told him while she rang him up, ignoring his rude tone. “I could look in the back if you’d like.” 

“S’alright,” he said, taking the bag from her without even so much as a thank you and walked over where the other boys were at the magazine racks. She rang up the other boy and gave him his change. He muttered a quick thanks and went over to his friends. They spoke to one another in hushed tones, as if they didn’t want her to hear what they were talking about, and left as quickly as they had come. They were like bulls in a china shop, leaving the place in complete disarray. She sighed and came out from behind the counter, figuring it would be wise for her to clean up instead of leaving it for Bradley when he came to let her off for the day. 

She put “Ghost in the Machine” by The Police on the turntable and got to work. The magazines had been haphazardly shoved back into place on the shelves and there were piles of discarded albums lying on top of the racks. She had only gotten to “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” when the bell above the door rang again. Turning towards the door, she saw Bradley saunter in. 

“Alright Emily?” he asked. Her jaw clenched; he couldn’t even be bothered to remember her name. At seventeen, he was as smug and arrogant as they came. He used his position of “superiority” against her, talking down to her and treating her like a slave at every opportunity, which he believed he was allowed to do because his uncle owned the shop. But she couldn’t do anything about it, because he was basically a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In front of anyone besides her, especially anyone of authority, he was perfectly polite and charming, but when the two of them were alone, or out of earshot of his uncle, he was a total monster. 

“It’s Eloise,” Eloise told him through gritted teeth. She heard the familiar sound of the needle being taken off the record and turned to face him. “I was listening to that.” 

“That sad excuse you call music is utter crap,” he said pompously, replacing the record with the soundtrack to “Saturday Night Fever”. “That’s more like it.”

She rolled her eyes, looking at her watch. It was five minutes after two. “Can I go now?” she asked impatiently. She wanted to get away from him as quickly as humanly possible. He stroked his chin, which barely had anything except peach fuzz on it. 

“I suppose,” he drawled. “After you do this month’s inventory and put the new releases out.” 

“I have to be somewhere at three!” she cried. “Your uncle told me I only had to work until two this week.” 

“If you don’t do what I told you to do,” he smirked. “I’ll tell my uncle to fire you.” 

“I’ve only been working here for two weeks, and I’ve been a model employee. What could I have possibly done to deserve to be fired?” 

“I’ll tell him you stole some LPs, simple as that.” She scoffed in response, silently cursing him as she stomped into the back room. 

 

By the time she was done, it was two-thirty. Collecting her things, she went back into the main part of the store. 

“All finished?” Bradley asked, not looking up from the comic book he was reading.

“Yes,” she grumbled. “And now I’m going to be late.” Throwing her the strap of her purse over her shoulder, she left the store and went down the street to the nearest bus stop. It would take her at least half an hour to get to City College, since she was on the north side of the city and the school was on the south side. She waited for less than five minutes, and when the bus pulled up, she climbed on and found a seat, almost forgetting to pay the fare. Having studied the bus routes and the city map extensively the night before, she knew exactly where to get off in order to get to the campus of her future school. It was just in her nature, she always had to be prepared and have a plan. Of course, coming to Dublin had not been part of her plan, but her parents had encouraged her to go, and she had always wanted to travel and see different parts of the world. When are you going to get another opportunity like this? her parents had asked when she was indecisive about going. You can kill two birds with one stone, her father had said. See a different part of the world and get your education. 

Soon she realized that she had been so lost in her thoughts and watching the city go by that she not been paying attention to the stops, so it was possible that she had missed hers. She was sitting near the front, so she leaned over asked the driver, “When is the stop for City College?” 

“’Fraid you missed it, dear,” he replied. “It was about three stops ago now.”

“Damn it!” she cursed, and barely waited for the bus to stop before running off. Pulling the map of the city out of her purse, Eloise walked as fast as she could towards the campus of Dublin City College. It was only about four blocks away from where she got off, but she had to cross several busy streets. At every crosswalk, she paced while waiting for the lights to change. Damn Bradley and his power over her! It was 2:54 according to her watch, so she broke into a run as the lights changed at the last street she had to cross. She was so close she could see the campus. 

Man, I need to get in shape, she thought as she ran down the sidewalk, feeling a cramp in her side. Suddenly, before she had time to realize what had happened, she ran into something, something extremely hard and solid, and fell to the ground. 

“Watch where you’re going!” a gruff voice exclaimed. The owner of the voice was about to keep walking when he realized the girl had not stood up and continued walking. When he saw that she was visibly shaken, the scowl that had twisted his face moments earlier vanished. He held out his hand to her. 

“I’m fine,” she told him, brushing a piece of hair out of her eyes. With dark blonde hair that was short on the sides and a bit longer on the top, blue eyes, and very sharp features, this boy (he looked really young, maybe around her age) was so handsome he was almost pretty. He was certainly the most handsome boy Eloise had ever seen, and she blushed as she took his hand when he helped her get up. “Sorry about that, I’m in a rush and-“ 

“Are you sure?” he asked with a tinge of concern in his voice. “You look a bit shaken up.” 

“That’s alright,” she told him, unable to look him in the eye for more than a moment or two. She was beginning to feel self-conscious. “Really, I’m fine.” She looked at her watch again and frowned; it was 3 o’clock on the dot. “I’m late for an appointment at the City College.” 

“I’ll walk you there,” he said. “It’s the least I could do.” 

“Oh, all right,” she said. They walked in silence, Eloise walking at a brisk pace and the boy walking a step behind. When they finally found the administration building, she turned to him. “Thanks; I’m new here, to Dublin I mean. I don’t really know my way around. And sorry for crashing into you… I should get going.” She smiled up at him shyly and he nodded. She made a beeline for the door but turned around suddenly. “What’s your name?” 

“Larry,” he replied. “Larry Mullen.” 

“Eloise Fisher.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter. Things start to get a little more interesting. If you like it I'd really appreciate some comments!

Thirty minutes later, Eloise emerged from the administration building in a much better mood than she had entered it. She had handed in the last of the required paperwork, and spoken to Dr. Quinn, the head of the education department at Dublin City College. She was very welcoming and excited to have Eloise in the course, and of course when she praised her grades and writing sample, Eloise was incredibly modest. She knew she was smart, but she was never very good at taking compliments or the like. She had also received her schedule of classes, so she could start getting materials, supplies, and her books. She was excited to start taking classes, but she would have to wait another six months, as they did not start until the end of August. 

As she went down the steps, she noticed that the boy, Larry, he had said his name was, was sitting on a bench in front of the bus stop. What’s he still doing here? she thought as she got closer. He looked like he was deep in thought yet annoyed as he bit the end of one of his fingernails.

“Hi,” she greeted him with a smile as she came to a stop in front of him. She considered sitting down, but he glowered at her. He didn’t respond but instead spread his arms out across the back of the bench and watched a car pass by. She was almost afraid to say anything to him, but he was the first person she had met in the entire city, other than Dr. Quinn, Bradley, Mr. Dolan, and the customers at the record shop. She had to at least try to befriend him, although he wasn’t making it very easy. “Would you like to… go for a drink?” She realized he might misinterpret her intentions. “It’s just that… I don’t know many people here, besides my boss and people at school, and-“ 

“I get it,” he said curtly. “I have a couple of hours to kill.” He got up and started walking down the street, and Eloise assumed that he expected her to follow him. She cursed her little legs, because she practically had to run to keep up as they went across a crosswalk. He must have realized this, because he kept looking behind him every so often to make sure that she was still there. After walking another block or two, they stopped in front of a pub called Joe Donovan’s. To her surprise, Larry held the door open for her as they entered. 

“Lawrence!” the bartender greeted Larry jovially, and Larry nodded in his direction. Eloise figured that this was his regular place. He led her to a booth towards the back. 

“What would you like?” he asked. 

“Whatever you’re having,” she replied. He nodded and went over to the bar without a word. A few moments later he came back with two tall pints of Guinness and slid into the booth next to her. She’d never had Guinness before, but since she knew it was basically the only kind of beer Irish people drank, she’d have to try it sooner or later. Taking a sip of the black liquid, she grimaced. It was very bitter. Larry looked at her over his glass as he took a much larger sip. 

“So…” he started. “You’re clearly not from around here.”

“No, I’m not,” she said. “I moved here a couple weeks ago from the U.S. Like I said earlier, I don’t really know anyone here. I work at a record store on Drury Street, which I thought would be fun, because I love music, but I’m beginning to hate it.” He didn’t say anything, so she continued. “I usually work with the nephew of the guy who owns the store, and he’s a real asshole.” 

“I’ve only been in there a few times, but I think I know who you’re talking about,” he said. “That kid is a huge prick.” 

“He’s three years younger than me, but he acts like he’s so superior,” she told him. “I would quit, but I need the money to pay for the courses I’m taking at Dublin City College. I want to be a teacher.” 

“Better you than me,” he said. “I could never work with kids. My sister has two, and I can only be around them for so long. All that screaming and crying gets on me nerves after a while.” 

“It takes a lot of patience,” she chuckled.

“I’m sure,” he agreed. There were a few moments of silence between them. “So you like music? Who do you like?”

“Yeah,” she said, taking another sip of her beer. “I like a lot of different stuff… The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, The Clash, Billy Joel, The Eagles, stuff like that.” 

“You’ve got good taste.” She could’ve sworn she saw the tiniest hint of a smile on his lips, but it was fleeting. 

“I’ve been talking too much. Tell me about you.” 

“There’s not much to say.” She laughed. “I’ve lived in Dublin all me life, I like watching football, or soccer, as you Americans call it, on TV, and I’m in a band with my three best mates.” 

“A band, that’s really cool!” They probably suck, she thought. “Any chance I’ve heard of you?”

“Probably not. We’re called U2.” 

Her brow furrowed in thought as she wracked her brain. “Not ringing any bells.”

“We’ve a few albums, but we’re pretty much unknown in the U.S.” 

“I’ll have to see if we sell them in the store.” He looked embarrassed. “Did you really think you could tell me that and expect me not to be curious?” The corners of his mouth twitched upward as he took a sip of his beer. “It must be fun being in a band with your friends…” 

“We’ve all known each other since secondary school, and spending so much time together in the studio, on the road and stuff, we’re more like brothers than friends at this point.” 

“Is it hard, being around each other all the time?” 

“Sometimes we get on each other’s nerves, get in little rows, ya know. But it’s the best; I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, with anyone else.” Suddenly, there was a sparkle in his eye. “Playing music, especially with Adam, Bono, and Edge, it’s all I ever want to do.” He went on, telling her about his bandmates and the story of how they became a band, and why he started playing the drums, and the enthusiasm and passion that had taken over him surprised her. It was incredibly endearing, especially because several minutes ago he had been scowling and barely saying a word. 

“Ah, Lardence!” an unfamiliar voice bellowed, and Eloise heard Larry groan. A boy with dark hair slid into the booth next to him and slung a thick arm around his shoulders. “We were wondering where you were.” Two other boys, one with dark hair and a thin face, and one blonde hair and glasses, also came over to the table.   
“Rehearsal doesn’t start for another half hour,” Larry grumbled. 

“We didn’t see you at the bus stop, so we figured you’d be here,” the boy next to him said. He looked over at Eloise. “Are we interrupting something? A date perhaps?”

“That’s none of your business,” Larry spat as he shook himself free from the boy’s grasp.

“If you’re not going to introduce…” the boy started, and Eloise told him her name.   
“If you’re not going to introduce Eloise to us, I’ll do it for you!” Larry folded his arms over his chest. “I’m Bono.” He smiled at her, and Eloise blushed in spite of herself. He was quite handsome, with his dark hair, strong jaw, and blue eyes that contained a hint of mischief. “This is The Edge.” He gestured to the boy with the darker hair. Eloise had never seen anyone with green eyes like his before; they were almost sea green. He had prominent cheekbones like Larry, but a much kinder and less intimidating face. He smiled shyly at her. “And this is Adam.” He gestured to the boy with the glasses. He had curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and a friendly disposition. 

“Hi,” Eloise greeted them. “I’ve heard a lot about you guys.” 

“Have you now?” Bono said cheekily, looking over at Larry, who groaned again. 

“He was just telling me about your band,” she explained. 

“You’re right, it is my band,” he quipped. “I’m the lead singer. Edge plays guitar, Adam plays bass, and Larry of course plays the drums.” 

“If it wasn’t for me we wouldn’t be a band,” Larry said. “Bloody eejit.” 

The other three ordered drinks. “What brings you to Dublin?” Adam asked her. She noticed he had a British accent, unlike the others’ distinctive Irish ones. 

“I’m going to school at City College,” she told him. “I needed a change of scenery. I’m studying to be a teacher.” 

He made a non-committal noise in response. “Surely your courses don’t start for a while?” 

“Not until August,” she informed him with a hint of disappointment in her voice. “So for now I’m working in a record store so I have some money.” The bartender brought over their drinks. 

“On the house,” he told them. “Same for you and your friend, Lawrence.” 

“Thanks a lot Jerry,” Larry said.   
“So how did you and our little Lardence meet?” Bono asked Eloise, cradling his head in his hands. She saw Larry roll his eyes. 

“We bumped into each other,” she explained. “Literally. I was late for an appointment, and as usual, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going, and I crashed into him.” 

“I wasn’t paying attention either,” Larry added. “I knocked her on her arse.” 

“That’s adorable,” he chuckled.

“Oh yeah, very romantic,” Eloise said, though she immediately regretted it. Making sarcastic remarks was a knee-jerk reaction for her. Looking over at Larry, she blushed. 

“It’s almost five lads,” Edge finally spoke. “We should probably get going.” They all took one last chug of their beers and stood up. 

“It was nice meeting you guys,” Eloise said as she put on her coat. 

“You too,” Adam, who had been sitting closest to her, said. 

“I’ll have to check you guys out,” she said, although she still wasn’t convinced that they were all that good. 

“We have a gig on Friday,” Edge informed her. “It’s at this little club called The Goat’s Head. Sort of a warm up before we play our big shows on the next leg of the tour.” 

“You should come!” Bono practically shouted. “We’re much more of a live band, anyway.” 

“Alright,” she agreed. “What time should I be there?” 

“The doors open at seven I think,” Edge told her, letting her go ahead of them. “But we’ll be there around six; you can come then if you’d like, right lads?” 

“Of course, right Larry?” Bono said, elbowing his friend in the ribs. Larry simply glared at him. 

“Six it is,” Eloise said as they walked out of the pub. After saying their final goodbyes, they went their separate ways. These boys were quite strange, she thought. But she could see herself getting along with them, even Bono.


	3. Chapter 3

It was finally Friday, and Larry was onstage at The Goat’s Head setting up his drum kit. He was a ball of pent up energy, ready to smash the living shit out of his drums and give one hundred and ten percent, just like he did every show. He checked the way everything sounded one more time, even though he knew it was all nearly perfect. Maybe Edge’s perfectionism is rubbing off on me, he thought, looking in his friend’s direction. His brow was furrowed in intense concentration as he turned the knobs on his guitar in his usual meticulous way. Adam was thrumming away on his bass, warming up his fingers. He was always so laidback and calm, even before shows. Bono was nowhere to be found, he was probably hiding away somewhere with Ali, or more likely somewhere backstage warming up his voice. Moments later, he emerged from behind the door that led backstage. 

“It’s gonna be a good one lads,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “I can feel it.” 

“You say that about every show,” Adam laughed. 

“I mean it this time,” he said, checking the microphone. The three young men either laughed dryly or rolled their eyes. Always the optimist, Bono was. 

“Where’s Ali?” Edge asked, pulling his guitar strap over his head. 

“She’s coming,” Bono told him. “Won’t be here til right before seven though.” He smirked, as though a thought had just come to him. “Speaking of women, think your friend will actually show up Lawrence?” 

“I dunno,” he scowled. 

“Jesus, what crawled up your arse and died?” 

“Nothing,” he snapped. “I’m just gettin’ tired of you takin’ the piss all the time.” 

“Sorry, I was just messin’ with ya,” he said earnestly. “I didn’t think you were so sensitive…” 

Instead of saying anything back, he scowled again and hit his snare a few times to make sure it was tuned to his satisfaction. At that same moment, Eloise was standing outside of The Goat’s Head, contemplating whether or not she should go in. She was tired after having spent the day wandering around the city, taking in all of the sights with both her eyes and her camera, which still hung around her neck. The thought of seeing Larry again also made her nervous, which had crossed her mind that week more than she would’ve liked to admit. He was very handsome, and she was sure she would embarrass herself in front of him, again. She pushed the thought out of her mind. 

Ah, what the hell, she thought, pushing open the door of the pub. Even if they’re not very good, it’ll probably be fun.

The pub was very traditional and stereotypically Irish; it was filled with mahogany fixtures, pictures of football and hurling stars, and in one corner was an old jukebox from the fifties. There were tables scattered throughout the back of the room, but the area closer to the stage was open so that people could dance or just watch whoever was on the stage that night. Eloise shed her coat after she walked inside, draping it over her arm. As she passed the bar and caught a glimpse of the stage, her nerves crept up on her again. Bono saw her first. 

“Eloise!” he greeted her, jumping off the edge of the stage. He met her in the middle of the floor. “How’ve you been?” 

“Alright,” she replied. “I had a day off, so I’ve been doing a little exploring. How are you?”

“I’m great,” he told her. “Where’d you go?” As they walked closer to the stage, she told him about where she had been, including Kilmainham Gaol, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Chester Beatty Library. He told her they had filmed a video at Kilmainham Gaol a few years earlier. “Look who’s here lads!” 

Eloise smiled shyly and waved as Adam, Edge, and Larry greeted her. She frowned when Larry barely gave her a wave. 

He had seen her talking with Bono in the middle of the floor, him waving his hands animatedly as he spoke, and her nodding but seeming a little overwhelmed by his enthusiasm. He saw her smile at something his friend had said, and his stomach flipped. He thought she looked incredibly cute in the oversized maroon sweater and jeans she was wearing, and with her hair tied up in a ponytail. At times like this he wished he could be more like Bono, and not so fucking shy. It was easier for him to stay in the background than to make a fool of himself, which was part of the reason why he played the drums. It was also easier to keep his feelings to himself, because that’s what he was used to doing, and because if he had admitted them, Bono would have been even more annoying than he normally was. He should have just asked her out while they were leaving Joe Donovan’s, but he couldn’t gather up the courage to do it, especially in front of the others. He wouldn’t have heard the end of it if he had gotten rejected in front of them. He gave her a quick wave from behind his drum set. 

 

Before Eloise knew it, the pub had filled up and the lights went down. She was on Edge’s side of the stage, towards the front. The crowd was buzzing with excitement, and then suddenly the music started. They were good; in fact they were really good. They were full of energy, and unlike anything Eloise had ever seen before. Bono jumped around the stage like a maniac, belting out the lyrics with a passionate intensity, and occasionally running down into the crowd to dance with a girl, or in Eloise’s case, plant a kiss on her cheek. Edge’s virtuosity was astounding, his fingers moved across the frets in such a precise way, and yet something about the way he played was so fluid and organic. Adam’s basslines were often simple, but they gave the songs their backbone and unique groove. Larry, he was like a totally different person on stage. Gone was the quiet, serious boy she had met days earlier. He was what held the songs together, he played with such fervor and he hit the drums with everything he had. What surprised her the most was that he looked like he was having the time of his life, he was actually smiling! The way the stage lights were hitting him, he looked angelic, even with his hair sticking to his forehead and a visible sheen of sweat on him. Eloise felt a wave of affection mixed with a little bit of lust for him overcome her. For the rest of the show, she tried her best to concentrate on the music, but she couldn’t stop craning her neck to get a look at him. She knew this wouldn’t end well.

 

It felt like only minutes had gone by, rather than hours, but eventually Bono had come up to the microphone and told the audience that the next song would be their last for the night. It was called “40”, based off of Psalm 40, and it was going to be on their next album. Adam and Edge switched instruments, which Eloise thought was quite interesting. Towards the end, each of them left the stage and whoever was left kept playing, first Bono, then Adam, then Edge, and finally just Larry was left, pounding on the drums. After several minutes, he finished and came out onto the stage. Eloise swore she saw him look in her direction, with a grin on his face wider than the Cheshire Cat’s. She felt herself blush, and accounted it to the fact that he was hyped up from the gig. The others came out from backstage and they all gave a quick bow, then they left again. 

 

After the lights came back on, people milled around for a bit, having one last drink before heading home for the night and finding friends that they had lost in the chaos of the crowd. Eventually the only people that were left were Eloise, a few people who worked at the bar who were cleaning up, and a girl with short brown hair who she had seen a couple times throughout the set. She was about to walk over to her and introduce herself when Bono came out and hopped off the stage. His hair looked damp and he had a towel hanging around his neck.

“Hello beautiful,” he put his arm around the girl’s waist and kissed her temple. She smiled. 

“Oh good, you showered this time,” she said. 

“What, you don’t like my manly musk?” he chuckled. 

“’Manly musk’?” she arched an eyebrow. “It’s body odor Bono, and it’s terrible.” 

“But you love me anyway,” he said. “Don’t you?” She laughed. Eloise had been watching them, and he caught her eye. “Enjoy the show Eloise?” 

She nodded. “You guys were amazing!”

“Told you we were good. We’re gonna sell out stadiums one day, you’ll see,” he said. He gestured to the girl. “This is my wife Ali.” 

“Hi,” she said, shaking Eloise’s hand. 

“C’mon, let’s go in the back,” Bono said, and immediately saw that Eloise looked unsure. “Come on!” He waved his hand. “We’ve got plenty of food and drink.” Before Eloise had time to object, Bono led her and Ali backstage. It was small; practically the size of a closet, but somehow it could fit a couch, which Adam and Edge, and a man wearing large glasses who Eloise didn’t recognize were lounging on. Larry was standing near the small table, which was filled with snacks, water bottles, and cans of beer. “I found a couple groupies who wanted to see what the rock star life was really like.” 

Both girls rolled their eyes. “Hello boys,” Ali greeted them. There was a chorus of hellos and waves. Bono grabbed water and a package of crackers off the table and sat down in the corner with Ali. 

“Here,” the man sitting next to Edge said. He got up so that Eloise could sit on the couch. “Paul McGuinness.” She shook his hand. “I’m U2’s manager.” 

“What did you think of the show?” Edge turned towards her after she sat down, giving her his undivided attention. 

“It was awesome,” she told him. “Where did you learn to play like that? You’re incredible!” His cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

“Thanks,” he said sheepishly. “I taught myself actually. We all did pretty much.” 

“That’s so cool,” she said. “I wish I was that talented, or at least musically inclined.” 

“It takes a lot of practice,” he said. He reached over her and grabbed a beer from the table. “Sorry.” He blushed again, and she couldn’t help laughing to herself. Bono and Edge really were complete opposites; where Bono was loud, boisterous, and tended to act before thinking, Edge was somewhat shy, soft spoken, and introspective. He noticed Eloise’s camera. “You take pictures?” 

“From time to time,” she replied. “I was telling Bono earlier, I finally got a chance to walk around the city today, so I figured I’d bring my camera with me. I also took a few during the concert.” 

“I’d love to see them after you get them developed,” he told her. “If you don’t mind.” 

“Of course,” she smiled. She got up and surveyed the snack table. After a bit of deliberation, she picked up a bag of chips. Larry was standing next to her, munching on a pretzel. “Hi Larry.” She tried her best not to sound nervous. 

“Hi,” he said, opening a can of beer and taking a pull from it. “How are you doing?” 

“I’m good,” she smiled. She tried to look him in the eye, but when she did, she felt her whole face get hot. 

He nodded. “I saw you during the show,” he told her, his lips turning up into a smirk. “You looked like you were having fun.” 

“So did you,” she said. Too bad she wasn’t able to wink. “You guys are really great. I didn’t realize you were that talented.” She laughed nervously. He glanced around the room to see if the others were paying attention and then looked back at her. It was now or never. 

“Can I talk to you outside for a minute?” he asked. Her heart started pounding; what could he possibly need to talk to her about, and alone no less? He walked out of the room and she followed him into the hallway. 

“What’s up?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Her stomach was doing flips. 

“I’ve been wanting to ask you…” he trailed off, looking down at his shoes and rubbing the back of his neck. The anticipation was killing her. “Would you like to go out sometime?” 

She couldn’t believe it. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming. “I’d love to.” 

“Great,” he smiled. Not a smirk, not a tiny smile, but a real, big smile. It made him look younger, more boyish, and she thought he should do it more often. “How about Wednesday? I’ll pick you up around eight. We can go to a movie.”

“Sure,” she said. “Here’s my address.” She took a pen out of her purse, grabbed his hand, and wrote it down on his palm. 

“72 O’Leary Street,” he read when she had finished. “Got it.” She caught his eye and he gave her a warm smile. They walked back into the room, and she plopped down on the couch next to Adam with a huge grin on her face. 

“What’s going on?” he asked her. 

“Nothing,” she shook her head, still smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I would love some comments/kudos! :)


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